Tool-holder



(ModeL) 0. D. HAWLEY; T001, HOLDER.-

' No. 296,167. 7 1 Patented-Apr 1, 1884.

TERS. Pmwmm ner. Vlnshinglml. o c.

Nfrrnn *Srarns COLUMBUS D. HAVVLEY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

TOOL-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,167 ,datecl April 1, 1884:.

(llodeL) do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the class of devices known as toolholders or hangers, and has for its object to provide a simple self-adjusting device, which may be manufactured easily and with slight expense, will not wear out, and will firmly grasp the handles of tools, brooms, &c., and hold them in a suspended position. I

With these ends in view my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully explained,

and then specifically designated by the claims.

For the purpose of enabling others to understand and use my improved device, I will proceed to describe the same, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of my device, and Fig. 2 an elevation of the same, in operative position, and showing a handle gripped by the holding-pins.

Similar letters indicate like parts in both figures of the drawings.

A is a base-plate, which may be of any desired outline, but is preferably triangular in form. It is not necessary that the plate should be solid, and in practice I ordinarily leave the center open, as shown in the drawings. In use plate A is loosely secured to the wall, or wherever it may be desired to use the device, by a screw, B, which passes through hole A at the top,of the plate. A pin, 0, projects outward from plate A, at the bottom thereof, for a purpose presently to be explained. This pin I ordinarily place about midway between the lower edges of the plate, in such. a position that when the device is not in use pin C is in a vertical line with screw B. The inner side of this pin is usually cut away, leaving the inner side flat, as shown.

At one side of plate A, substantially in a horizontal linewith-pin C, alever, D, is loosely pivoted, as at D. This lever, when the device is not in use, rests upon pin 0. At the end of the lever, opposite its pivotal point, is

a pin, E, corresponding in shape and size with pin C, upon the plate. The innerside of this pin is cutaway, as shown, precisely like pin C. I usually cut away the inner side of pin E upon a line drawn from the center of screw B, and make the fiat side of pin 0 approximately parallel therewith when the device hangs in its normal position. is merely a matter of construction, and is not of the essence of my invention. In fact, the flat sides may be wholly omitted.

As already stated, the outlines of the parts may be varied to almost any extent without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is likewise a matter of no consequence at which side lever D is pivoted, neither is the distance between the pin 0 and the pivotal point of the lever a matter of vital importance. It will of course be understood that by lessening the distance between pin C and the pivotal point of the lever the hold upon the tool-ban dle will be increased. I

In practice, for ordinary tools, brooms, 8:0

I have found the proportions illustrated in the accompanying drawings to work perfectly that is to say, when the device hangs in its normal position out of use, pin E and pivot D are substantially in a horizontal line, and pin C is about midway between them, but in a slightly lower plane.

The operation is as follows: The handle of This, however,

the tool or other article to be held is placed between the pins, the lever being lifted sufficiently to allow the article to pass between them; as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that the article will be firmly gripped between the pins. The heavier the article the greater will be the pressure against the pin E and edge 0 of pin 0, the action of lever D being to divide the pressure equally between the two pins. In fact, the weight of the article is added to the weight of the lever and pin E to constitute the gripping or holding power of the device.

Plate A and lever D may be made of brass and the pins riveted thereto; or the whole device may be cast in two pieces of malleable iron, the material used not being essential to the operations of the device.

Itwill be observed that the holder and any article hanging therein are free to swing upon the wall, so that a knock or blow against the article merely sets it swinging, instead of disa pin at its opposite end, .between which and the pin upon the plate the article to be held is tightly gripped. I

2. A plate adapted at its upper edge to be pivoted to the wall, and having a' pin midway of the length of its lower edge, in combination with a lever pivoted to one of its outer edges, and a pin at the opposite end of said lever, whereby an article placed between said pins is firmly gripped and held.

3. Plate A and pin 0, havingedge c, in combination with lever D, pivoted to said plate and resting upon pin 0, said lever being provided with a pin, E, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in Y presence of two witnesses. i

' COLUMBUS D. HAWLEY.

Witnesses:

A. M. WOOSTER, S. S. WILLIAMSON. 

